How to Create a Signature Method (and Get Known for It)
Feb 28, 2021
Someone asks what you do. You start talking. Two minutes later you're still going, and they're nodding politely.
Been there? Me too.
When I started my business in 2020, one of the first things my coach had me do was map out my signature method. I was still working my corporate job and building the business in the margins with twin toddlers at home. It was amazing advice, and I still use it today.
A signature method is the named framework for how you get your clients results. It's how you explain what you do in one breath, how people remember you after a podcast interview, and (more and more) how ChatGPT figures out what you're known for.
In this post, I'll walk you through:
- What a signature method actually is
- Why it matters even more when you're growing without social media
- How my own method changed between 2021 and now
- The 5 steps to create your signature method
- Where to put it once it exists
Grab a notebook. You'll want one by step one.
What Is a Signature Method?
A signature method is a repeatable, named framework that shows how you take a client from where they are to where they want to be. It's your expertise, organized into a few clear steps or pillars that you teach the same way every time.
A good one has three parts:
- A name. Something people can repeat back to you.
- A few pieces. Usually 3 to 5 steps, pillars, or principles.
- An outcome. The result your client gets when they move through it.
You probably already have a method. You just haven't written it down yet. Every time you explain your process on a discovery call, you're describing it. Writing it down turns it into something you can teach, sell, and get known for.
Why a Signature Method Matters When You're Growing Without Social Media
When you're not posting every day, you need every other touchpoint to do more work. A clear signature method helps all of them.
It makes you easy to explain
Referrals are 25% of my leads. Every one of those starts with someone describing me to a friend. When your method has a name and a few clear pieces, people can actually repeat it. "She has this framework for growing without social media" travels a lot further than "she's a business coach."
It makes you a better podcast guest
Guest speaking is my biggest lead source, about 40%. Hosts love guests with a framework because it gives the episode structure. You walk the audience through your steps, they leave with something useful, and they remember the name.
It helps AI search recommend you
This is the newer reason, and it's a big one. When someone asks ChatGPT or Claude for a recommendation in your niche, those tools look for clear, consistent signals about what you do. A named framework that shows up on your website, your blog, your podcast show notes, and your guest appearances is exactly that kind of signal. More than 50 leads a month find me through ChatGPT, and a consistent message is a big part of why.
It turns your expertise into something you own
Your method is your intellectual property. It's yours. It sets you apart from everyone else who offers a similar service, and it becomes the backbone of your offers, your content, and your sales pages.
Your takeaway: a signature method is one of the few marketing assets that works in every channel at once.
My Signature Method, Then and Now
Here's a little behind the scenes. My first signature method, back in 2021, looked like this:
- Wellness first (aka stop the burnout)
- Strategy + vision
- Systems
- Measurable results
It worked for where I was. I was helping women get out of overwhelm and build a business in part-time hours.
But my business grew, and so did the problem I solve. Today I work with women in the messy middle: real revenue, real clients, and no interest in living on social media to get to the next level. So my method grew up too.
Today, the Anti-Social Shift comes down to four moves:
| 2021 method | Today's method (the Anti-Social Shift) |
|---|---|
| Wellness first | Email over algorithm. Your list is the audience you actually own. 71% of my sales come from email. |
| Strategy + vision | Search over scrolling. SEO and GEO do the work social media pretends to do. |
| Systems | AI as leverage. You as the human. A custom Bot Squad handles the repeatable work. |
| Measurable results | Offers over output. A small suite of offers that sells on repeat. |
A few things to notice:
- Each move is short and parallel. "This over that" is easy to remember and easy to say on a podcast.
- Each one carries a point of view. You know what I believe just by reading it.
- The method changed when the client changed. That's normal. Your method should get sharper as your business does.
So if you made a signature method years ago and it feels a little off now, that's your cue to revisit it.
How to Create Your Signature Method in 5 Steps
This is the same process we walk through in Module 1 of Anti-Social School™, which is literally called "Find Your Signature Method." It comes first for a reason. Everything else in your marketing gets easier once this is clear.
Step 1: Do a big brain dump
Set a timer for 20 minutes and write down everything you do with clients. Every step, tool, conversation, and "aha" moment.
Ask yourself:
- What's the first thing I help every new client fix?
- What do I find myself explaining over and over?
- What do my best clients do differently from everyone else?
- What do I believe about my industry that most people get wrong?
Don't edit. Messy is good here. This is the fun part.
Step 2: Find the pattern
Now look at your list and start grouping. You're looking for 3 to 5 buckets that hold everything else.
A few ways to sort:
- By stage: what happens first, second, third
- By problem: the main roadblocks you help clients clear
- By belief: the principles that guide how you work
If you end up with more than 5 buckets, combine. If you end up with 2, split one. Three to five is the sweet spot for memory.
Step 3: Put it in teaching order
Think about how you'd walk a brand-new client through this. What has to happen before the next piece makes sense?
For example, there's no point in building a funnel before you know who you help. That's why "Clarify who you help" comes before "Map your visibility blueprint" in Anti-Social School™.
If your pieces don't have a natural order (mine don't, really), that's fine too. Then you have pillars instead of steps, and you can teach them in any order.
Step 4: Name it
Give the whole method a name, and give each piece a short name too.
Naming tips that work:
- Use your brand language. "The Anti-Social Shift" ties right back to Anti-Social School™.
- Keep each piece to a few words. If it doesn't fit on a slide, shorten it.
- Use a consistent pattern. Same grammar for every piece, like "Email over algorithm" and "Search over scrolling."
- Say it out loud. If you trip over it, your audience will too.
Skip the clever acronym unless it comes naturally. A forced acronym is harder to remember than plain words.
Step 5: Test it in the real world
Try it on your next discovery call. Pitch it in your next podcast pitch. Write one email built around it.
Then pay attention:
- Do people nod along, or do they ask you to explain again?
- Which piece do they ask the most questions about?
- Does it still feel true for your current clients?
Adjust and keep going. My method has had a few versions, and it'll probably have a few more.
Signature Method Examples by Type
Most signature methods fall into one of four structures. Pick the one that matches how you actually work.
| Type | Best for | Example structure |
|---|---|---|
| Steps | A process with a clear order | Step 1: Audit, Step 2: Plan, Step 3: Launch |
| Pillars | Areas you work on at the same time | Mindset, Money, Marketing |
| Moves or principles | A strong point of view | Email over algorithm, Search over scrolling |
| Phases | Longer client journeys | Foundation, Growth, Scale |
There's no right answer. The best structure is the one you can explain without notes.
Where to Use Your Signature Method
Once your method exists, put it everywhere. Repetition is what makes you known for it.
- Your About page and homepage. A short section that names the method and its pieces.
- Your sales pages. Show how your offer delivers the method.
- Podcast pitches. "I'd love to walk your audience through my 4-part framework for..." gets a lot more yeses.
- Your welcome email sequence. Teach one piece per email.
- Your blog. A cornerstone post (like this one) that explains it in full, so Google and AI tools can find it.
- Discovery calls. Use it to show a potential client exactly where they are and what comes next.
- Your one-sentence Help Statement. Your method is the "how" behind it.
One of my VIP clients, Heather L., said it well after a single session: "I worked with Holly for one hour and gained a complete understanding of how to structure my business, signature method ideas, and content pillars." That's what a clear method does. It makes the next decisions easier.
Common Signature Method Mistakes
A few things I see all the time:
- Too many pieces. Seven steps is a course outline. Three to five is a method.
- Names that need explaining. If you have to define every word, simplify.
- Keeping it in a drawer. A method nobody hears about can't do any marketing for you.
- Never updating it. If your clients changed, your method probably should too.
- Copying someone else's. Borrow the structure if it helps. Keep the substance yours.
Here's How to Get Started
- Block 30 minutes on your calendar this week.
- Do the 20-minute brain dump from Step 1.
- Group your notes into 3 to 5 buckets.
- Decide if you have steps, pillars, moves, or phases.
- Draft a name for the method and each piece.
- Use it once this week: on a call, in a pitch, or in an email.
- Add it to your About page once it feels right.
Not Sure What's Holding Your Growth Back?
If you're in the messy middle and something feels stuck, your signature method might be the missing piece. It might also be your email engine, your visibility, or your offers.
Take the 2-minute quiz and I'll send you a personalized plan for your next move. 💛
Prefer to listen first? The Anti-Social Shift is my free private podcast on growing a business without living on social media.
XO, Holly
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a signature method?
A signature method is a named, repeatable framework that shows how you get your clients results. It organizes your expertise into 3 to 5 clear steps, pillars, or principles that you teach the same way every time. Coaches, consultants, and service providers use a signature method to explain what they do quickly, stand out from others who offer similar services, and build offers and content around one consistent message. It also becomes intellectual property your business owns.
How do you create a signature method?
To create a signature method, brain dump everything you do with clients, group it into 3 to 5 buckets, put those buckets in teaching order, name the method and each piece, then test it in real conversations. Start with a 20-minute brain dump. Look for patterns by stage, problem, or belief. Decide whether your pieces are steps (with an order) or pillars (without one). Give each piece a short, parallel name. Then use it on discovery calls, podcast pitches, and emails, and adjust based on what people understand and ask about.
How many steps should a signature method have?
Most signature methods work best with 3 to 5 steps or pillars. That range is easy to remember, easy to explain in a podcast interview, and fits on a single slide or sales page section. Fewer than 3 usually feels thin. More than 5 starts to feel like a course outline, and people stop being able to repeat it back. If you have more pieces than that, group related ones together under a broader name.
Does a signature method help with AI search?
Yes, a signature method can help AI search tools like ChatGPT and Claude understand and recommend your business. These tools look for clear, consistent information about who you help and how. When the same named framework shows up on your website, blog, podcast show notes, and guest appearances, it gives AI tools a strong signal about what you're known for. Pair it with a cornerstone blog post that explains the method in full, plus FAQ content that answers common questions directly.
Should my signature method change over time?
Yes, update your signature method when your clients, offers, or results change. A method from your first year in business often reflects the problems you solved back then. As you grow, the people you serve and the outcomes you deliver usually get more specific. Revisit your method once a year, or any time you launch a new core offer, and make sure it still describes how you actually get results today.
Keep reading
Start with the full guide: Marketing Without Social Media: How to Grow a Business on Your Own Terms.
If this one helped, here is where to go next:
